Federer Begins Quest for First Basel Title, Clijsters Begins Website Ranting
Posted on October 26, 2004
Fish, Davydenko Headline Winners at ATP St. PetersburgNo. 3 seed Mardy Fish headlined play Monday at the ATP stop in St. Petersburg, cashing Czech Jan Hernych in straight sets.
"I am really happy to be here in Russia," Fish said. "It is a trip I was looking forward and it is great to be moving to the next round here."
No. 5-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko also advanced much to the delight of the St. Pete fans (d. countryman (WC) Kunitsyn in three), while No. 6-seeded Spaniard Dave Ferrer was beaten in straights by Czech Radek Stepanek.
Other unseeded players into the second round were Frenchmen Cyril Saulnier (d. A. Martin 0-and-1) and Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau (d. countryman Clement in three).
"I am happy because it wasn't an easy first round," Benneteau said. "I have been practicing with Arnaud the entire past week, I know him really well so play against him here in St. Petersburg in the first match is not the easiest."
Also completed was the last round of qualifying, with four players onto the big dance in Jan Vanek (CZE), Alexander Peya (AUT), Michael Kohlmann (GER), and Andy Ram (ISR).
On Tuesday's schedule in St. Pete are (WC) Rosset vs. "Grinning" Greg Rusedski in a serving contest (Brit leads career series 4-3), (8) Andreev vs. Muller, (Q) Ram vs. (4) Youzhny, (WC) Elgin vs. (7) Llodra, "Dr." Ivo Karlovic vs. (2) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Beck vs. (Q) Vanek, Mathieu vs. Corretja, Ricardo Mello "Yello" vs. Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, and (Q) Kohlmann vs. Carraz.
Pavel, Verdasco Advance, Ginepri Retires With Back Injury at ATP Stockholm
No. 8 seed Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco got a free pass into the second round Monday when American Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri retired trailing 2-6, 1-2 with a lower back injury.
The only other seed in action, No. 3 Andre Pavel, defeated Agustin Calleri in straights.
Un-seeds into the second round were American Jan-Mike Gambill with a rare win (d. Nieminen in three), former Aussie Open winner Thomas "Tommy the J." Johansson (d. Xavier "X-Man" Malisse in two tiebreaks), and Dane (WC) Kenneth Carlsen (d. (WC) Eleskovic 0-and-1).
On court Tuesday are (Q)J Settergren vs. O. Rochus, (5) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez vs. Jeff "Baby Krajicek" Morrison, (Q) Tipsarevic vs. (7) Berdych, (4) Haas vs. (Q) Sanguinetti, Garcia vs. (2) Joachim "Pim-Pim" Johansson, (6) Soderling vs. Enqvist in an all-SWE, and (Q) Tabara vs. Kohlschreiber.
Federer Leads Off on Day One at ATP Basel
The ATP stop in Basel begins play Tuesday with world No. 1 Roger Federer seeking his first title in the town of his berth. Federer, who is a former ball boy at Basel, is seeking an 11th title of 2004.
Past winners at the Swiss Indoors have included No. 1s Bjorn Borg, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras and Stefan Edberg.
Scheduled for Tuesday in Basel are Novak vs. Florian "Oscar" Mayer, (5) Robredo vs. (WC) Wawrinka, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. Stefan "Tony" Koubek, (1) Federer vs. the hot-handed Luis "Me So" Horna, Dent vs. (WC) Ivo "I Used to Date Hingis" Heuberger, (Q) D.Norman vs. reigning French Open champ (3) Gaudio, and Hanescu vs. Zabaleta.
Two of Three Russians Advance at WTA Linz
Amelie Mauresmo? Serena Williams? Bring out the stars.
The WTA stop in Linz rolled out the "B" and "C"-team Russians on Day One, with No. 9 seed Elena "Lena" Bovina (d. Kostanic) and unseeded Elena Likhovtseva (d. (WC) Sybille "Whammer" Bammer) advancing, but Tatiana "The Pocket Baseliner" Panova falling to Marion Bartoli.
Unless you were Russian, fans were scouring their tickets for the refund policy.
Also completed was the final round of qualifying, with Martina "Nurse, I Need a" Sucha (SVK), Vera Douchevina (RUS), Julia Schruff (GER), and Alina Jidkova (RUS) elevated to the main draw.
Tuesday in Linz features Dechy vs. Benesova, Lee-Waters vs. Hantuchova, Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem vs. Shaughnessy, Vento-Kabchi vs. Sugiyama, Fabiola "The Fabulous One" Zuluaga vs. Domachowska, Schruff vs. Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, and Jidkova vs. Douchevina.
Farina Elia Highlights Day One at WTA Luxembourg
No. 3 Silvia Farina Elia was the only seeded player in action Monday at the low-wattage WTA event in Luxembourg, defeating Stephanie Foretz to advance into the second round.
Other un-seeds into the second round were Dally Randriantefy (d. Mashona "Little Sis" Washington) and 16-year-old Ana Ivanovic (d. (WC) Anne "Kosmo" Kremer).
The final round of qualifying was also completed, with Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA), Emma Laine (FIN), Kveta Peschke (CZE), and Michaella "Little Sis" Krajicek (NED) into the main draw.
Marat Safin's sister and Richard Krajicek's niece in the same tournament? Feel the excitement. On tap for Tuesday are Daniilidou vs. Craybas, Dinara "Little Sis" Safina vs. An.Serra Zanetti, Maleeva vs. Laine, Gullicksson vs. Pierce, Golovin vs. Groenefeld, Peschke vs. Schaul, Barna vs. Weingartner, Pisnik vs. Razzano, Garbin vs. Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, and Michaella "Little Sis" Krajicek vs. Asagoe.
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World No. 1s Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor are 5-1 in finals in 2004, while the No. 2 Bryan brothers are 5-4...Cyprus' Marcos "Bombs Over" Baghdatis, who first gained fame by winning a couple rounds at the Athens Olympics, won the Bolton (Britain) Challenger last week...Kim Clijsters is of the notion that posting long diary rants on her website will make the media stop talking about her break-up with Lleyton Hewitt: "I didn't feel like reacting to my split with Lleyton. I hoped to find some time for myself in this difficult period. However, if I see the all the stuff that is being published and how I am being followed, then I think I should respond to all that...I am stunned by all the media attention about a strictly private matter...What is wrong with journalists if they spend the night camping outside my house? If they start following me and the rest of my family? If they start insinuating things about my mother or Lleyton's? If they think to know that both Lleyton and I already have someone else (which is a big lie anyway)? Splitting up after nearly five years isn't easy and painful as it is already, isn't it not normal we want to come to terms with it ourselves?...I sincerely hope that everybody will show some respect for me and my family and that these gossips will stop. And that everyone is curious to find out about the wrist and my tennis. I will keep you posted on those."...Maria Sharapova has qualified for the eight-woman WTA Championships field, joining Lindsay Davenport, Amelie Mauresmo, and Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Myskina, and Elena Dementieva, with two spots remaining. Serena and Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, and Russian Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva are in contention for the final two spots. The four-team year-end doubles field is complete, with Cara Black and Rennae Stubbs, Elena Likhovtseva and Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova and Meghann Shaughnessy, and Paola Suarez and Virginia Ruano Pascual rounding out the field...A Lindsay Davenport bobblehead doll is among the give-aways planned by the WTA for the year-end championships at the STAPLES Center in L.A...The WTA Linz tournament would not grant Serena Williams' request for a wildcard this week, forcing her onto the waiting list since she dissed the tournament multiple times during the past years; then when Anna Smashnova pulled out last week to create a spot in the draw for Serena, the tournament director was still not convinced the flighty American would keep her word. "I'll believe it only when she comes out of the aircraft and steps on Linz soil," said tournament director Sandra Reichel, talking to Reuters before Serena did arrive and Reichel met her at the airport. Guess one meets their commitments more readily when one needs points to qualify for the year-end championships...Roger Federer has yet to win his hometown Basel tournament, losing in the final in 2000-01...Tim Henman was told his weakness is due to (besides being pasty and not hitting the weight room) a magnesium deficiency. Henman told the Daily Telegraph: "I'm told the shortage of magnesium could be the reason for the tiredness I have been feeling on court and I won't be doing any extra work for the time being. I've got to take the pills for a month and keep my fingers crossed. I'm going ahead with plans to play in Basel, where I have a good record, and in Paris, where I will be defending my Masters Series title. I don't feel ill, it's just fatigue that occurs on court and as I have said all along, collecting points to qualify for Houston remains my goal."...Check the X-site Commentary section for Tennis Channel CEO Steve Bellamy giving the update on signing Comcast...Anastasia Myskina pulled from Linz this week with the flu.